Growth Vouchers - Subsidised Business Advice

11 September 2014

Kent House is pleased to announce its accredited supplier status in the UK Government’s £30m Growth Vouchers programme. This scheme enables small businesses to claim back half the cost of strategic advice that they receive – up to a value of £2,000.

The Growth Vouchers programme is a pioneering government research project, testing the extent to which subsidised advice helps small businesses to grow.

Small businesses eligible for the programme may use their Growth Voucher with Kent House for strategic advice in two key areas: “Making the most of digital technology (IT and web)” and “Marketing, attracting and keeping customers (Marketing and customer service)”.

To be eligible: your business must be registered in England with 249 or fewer employees, be actively selling goods and/or services, and have an annual turnover no greater than £45m.

Lord Young, the Prime Minister’s advisor on enterprise, wants “to make it easier and more affordable for small businesses to access [strategic advice]”, he says that “External, strategic advice is key to commercial success and has helped thousands of businesses to grow”.

Lord Young’s desires are reflected in several success stories, such as one from “Banners and Mash” in Leeds who achieved a 5-fold revenue increase following advice gained through the Growth Vouchers programme.

“In a matter of days, I had spoken to an adviser from the Marketplace and scheduled a follow-up call to discuss our business plans. The Marketplace was very easy to follow and it was very clear which businesses were Growth Voucher approved suppliers.”